From the Mindless Celebrity Diversion Files: I don’t watch TV talent shows where “most talented” is determined by democratic vote. I’m a big fan of democracy, except where taste and culture go. Generally speaking, 20 million Americans can’t be right about anything they agree on entertainment-wise. I’m grumpy and elitist that way.
But I do watch a fair amount of entertainment news and even more YouTube, and I was suckered in by the “plain Scottish hometown girl makes good” talent display of Susan Boyle. (Her song selections of “I Dreamed a Dream” and “Memories” – I politely ignored those and concentrated on The Voice). The thing about being instantly embraced by anonymous throngs of millions, though, is that the lynch mob will only be that much bigger when the backlash begins. And it appears to have begun, with various international news sources reporting this: Boyle raised two middle fingers and shouted “Fuck off!” at a hotel television screen featuring a performance by her fast-approaching “Britain’s Got Talent” rival, 12 year-old Shaheen Jafargholi. She allegedly did this in front of about 150 guests. Other witnesses also complained that her “non-stop, unrequested singing” was disrupting their hotel stay.
Susan, if all this is true, I’ll still be here when everyone else goes away. Just as I thought Rosie O’Donnell only got interesting when she shredded her “Queen of Nice” image and the public turned on her, so Boyle will become more “human” for me if she starts blogging in angry haikus, throwing cell phones at assistants, and appearing on talk shows in slurry, tranced-out states. Why not flip out after you’ve had a ridiculous amount of global fame abruptly dumped on you?
